Amelia Christnot is an Oglala Lakota, Kanien'kehá:ka Haudenosaunee and Métis Navy brat who settled in the wilds of Northern Maine. A member of the Indigenous Journalists Association, she considers herself another proud Maineiac.
A honeymoon post-wedding trip or period of seclusion for newlyweds has roots in ancient European traditions, but has evolved over time. At one point, most brides and grooms first time alone together wasn’t until after their wedding. In some cases, especially among the nobility, the couple might not even meet until the wedding. The period […] More
Dating a close friend’s ex has ended more than a few friendships. It’s not about jealousy and possessiveness all the time, either. If the couple has parted ways and wasn’t originally part of the same social group, it can be uncomfortable to suddenly have someone you were intimate with for years back in your life. […] More
Cosplay—a portmanteau of the words “costume” and “play” is a hobby that began with fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books, manga, and anime. While many attribute the hobby’s origin to Japan in the 1980s, there are instances of cosplay dating back to the 1930s. Trekkies were doing cosplay by the end of the first […] More
There are a lot of in-law jokes, but part of the humor comes from people’s ability to relate to the situation. When a person gets married, they join a group of people who have a lifetime of interactions shaping their behavior and relationships. Anyone coming into that environment will be at a disadvantage. Having a […] More
There has always been a cultural or societal push to keep family in your life, no matter what. From trite sayings like “blood is thicker than water”—to which I say, “Lots of bodily fluids are thicker than water and equally unpleasant”—to advice like, “But that’s your mother/father/sibling, etc…,” escaping a toxic familial relationship is generally […] More
If an ex inherits something or gets death benefits based on an older will or insurance beneficiary designation, then their new partner might feel entitled to that money or property. But the deceased chose to name their ex as a beneficiary after their split, then who can question that? Well… An ex who just got […] More
A military career isn’t for everyone. It’s not a job where you clock out or make a lot of decisions regarding your own time or where you’ll be. It’s a 24/7/365 arrangement you enter with a huge, sometimes impersonal government entity. And until your enlistment period is up, or you retire, or are otherwise separated, […] More
Autism spectrum disorder and ADHD are two forms of neurodivergence that can also be comorbid with each other or other neurodivergent disorders. Identifying and developing multiple types of coping skills to deal with the overactive senses characteristic of autism or the hyperactivity that comes with ADHD is something families can do for an ASD/ADHD family […] More
To help or not to help. Sometimes, with family, the answer isn’t an obvious yes. A good rule to follow in all relationships is never to accept behavior from friends or family that you wouldn’t accept from a stranger. A brother who tried to help his younger sibling out of a mess of his own […] More
I see more than a few posts about people ending relationships with friends and relatives over excluding someone from a wedding party for “aesthetic reasons.” This is bizarre to me. A wedding is (usually) a one day affair (looking at you, India) that most successfully married couples barely remember because of nerves, excitement, the fact […] More
Being invited to be part of a wedding party can be an honor or an obligation, depending on the person’s relationship with the couple getting married. But what about not being invited to participate? Is it reasonable to feel a certain way about getting snubbed? A man turned to the “Am I The A**Hole” (AITAH) […] More
Tobacco is highly addictive due to the presence of nicotine. Eliminating the smoking aspect of tobacco was believed to remove all health risks, so nicotine gum, patches, vape cartridges, and pouches were developed. While some of those products primarily appeal to people trying to wean themselves off tobacco, others are creating addicts who were never […] More
